Two Cops Convicted in Road Rage Incident

A jury convicted two police officers of the misdemeanor crime of official misconduct Thursday, but the jurors are still weighing more serious assault charges connected to an off-duty road rage incident in 2008.

New York Police Department officers Michelle Anglin, 40 years old, and Kollen Robinson, 27, were found guilty of official misconduct but the jury was unable to reach a decision on felony assault charges, which carries up to a seven-year jail sentence. Acting State Supreme Court Justice Nicholas Iacovetta instructed the jury to continue deliberations, according to the Bronx District Attorney.

The charges stem from an off-duty incident that happened in the Williamsbridge section of the Bronx on Aug. 15, 2008.

Ms. Anglin exchanged words with Marlon Smith, a 37-year-old spoken-word poet, because the open door of Smith’s vehicle was blocking the road. Anglin is alleged to have stepped out of the car Robinson was driving and sprayed Smith with mace. Anglin testified that Smith ripped off her blouse.

Robinson and Anglin were accused of beating Smith with a baton and a pistol, as well as hitting a passerby with a baton when he tried to intercede.

Smith required 25 staples to close three wounds on his head, according to the Bronx District Attorney’s Office. The passerby continues to suffer from migraines and blurry vision, the prosecutor’s office said.

The misdemeanor charges stem from the officers’ failure to report the incident and subsequent attempts to cover it up, officials said. The crimes the officers were convicted of carry a punishment of up to a year in jail, but the judge also has the discretion to impose alternative sentences including house arrest or probation.